Birthdays, Bugs and Stalking

Hola, Familia--
We've had another week! Yep, it happens whether I'm prepared for it or not.

BIRTHDAY FUN. Frank's bday was Friday! We had his chocolate pie on Thursday, because of the many things already on the calendar for Friday and Saturday.

Kara lights the candle :)

Tonight (Monday) Frank and I have tickets to an orchestra concert, "Game of Thrones," in Boston. It's a live orchestra performance, with big screens on stage to add scenes and visual effects from the ...series? Now I can't remember if it's a tv series, or a book series, or a video game. Anyway it's intense music, and sounded like a fun evening of live music.

**Now it's Wednesday. We took the train (or "T")  in to Boston for this show on Wednesday. Great music! I didn't really know what "Game of Thrones" was. It's an HBO series, 7th season will show this summer.

in the show

You may not have seen Braveheart (Mel Gibson), but we have an edited version. Castles, medieval times, Kings and royalty vying for power. Wars and conflicts, drama, etc. etc.! Braveheart is pretty violent. Game of Thrones? It's Braveheart on steroids. They had screens up, and as the orchestra played, they showed the scenes where the music was actually played in the shows. High drama! Intense! War scenes! Blow up your enemies or cut their throats! (Loved the music -- I don't think I'll be watching any of the episodes.)

my stalker photo when she turned around :)

**Oh, funny story though! Some of the series actors/actresses went to this orchestra performance. One of the stars sat in the row in front of us! Ha. Frank heard them talking, plus she was all dressed up. In the show she rides dragons...horses too. Here's an Internet photo of her in the show, and my stalker-phone picture of her. When she turned around I had stealthily turned my phone towards her without REALLY looking at her. Yep, true stalking.


INSECTS AMONG US. We had a few days of really warm temps, the last week or so (not counting this weekend). It was quite the "spring teaser," because I was wearing light jackets and even looking forward to being outside a little!

We took care of a friend's dog for 2 days. I walked Louie a few times, and 1 time into the woods. That's the only time I can think of, that I would have picked up...

Now I'm seeing ticks everywhere,
even black dots on the floor
grow legs. (I watch too many
movies. They do freak me out tho)

a tick. Yes, disgusting--it creeps me out completely, to have a creature attached to me, sucking my blood. The problem was, it was kind of on my side, under my arm where I wasn't looking too closely. I didn't catch it right away so it had been in a while. Frank was on his campout, so I got Kara to take it off with tweezers, but of course the pincers stayed in. She drove me to urgent care and the doctor there said things like, "Boy, that's in deep!" and "I have to give you a shot and cut out a chunk of skin to get all of it." Then she had to add, "I'll give you a prescription because I haven't met a tick who isn't carrying Lyme Disease." (yes she HAD to say that, right! double-UGH.)

Lyme disease is actually pretty common out here, so I believe her. Kara had it in 3rd grade, and we never even saw a the tick, or the "bullseye" circle marking that sometimes shows up when people are infected. She just had a swollen knee, and had not fallen or anything. It settles in the joints so that can be a telltale sign for the Dr. to test for Lyme. Anyways, now I'm taking amoxicillin for 21 days.

ice on a railing at Niagara
a few years back...brrrr

FRIGID CAMPING. Frank had a campout Friday night (yes, on his birthday! ha). The boys were thankfully in cabins this time, since it got down to about 8 or some awful temperature like that. And wind. It was so cold. This was following our spring-like days the previous week, so it was extra-painful! But lots of the boys still played capture-the-flag out in those cold, cold temps. Teresa might have gone out in it, if she'd been there. I guess when you're moving, you can be a little warmer??!!

Well I'll load the pics and send this out...it's a beautiful afternoon today, same tomorrow, then this weekend will be frigid again. Every day is One Day Closer To Spring! :)

Kari